Kecak (pronounced [ˈketʃaʔ], alternate spellings: Ketjak and Ketjack) is a form of Balinese dance and music drama, it originated in the 1930s Bali and is performed primarily by men, although a few women’s kecak groups exist as of 2006.[1]

Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 150 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting “cak” and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana where the monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. However, Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance.[2]– Wikipedia
I don’t know if http://www.geneshay.com/index2.html is still playing this but looking out my window this Tuesday morning before the fest maybe we should

I am looking forward to the 2012 Philly Folk Festival. Lucinda Williams should be a highlight this year. This video is from the Cambridge folk fest in 2009.

This morning I heard a report on NPR about Pie Week. For some reason my thoughts turned to the late Utal Phillps and his album Good Though. NPR is asking for pie stories but I seriously doubt that this is what they are looking for.

Before we move away from July 4th, I thought I would post some links to some patriotic songs. Lets start with Power and the Glory form the late Phil Ochs

Wikipeada reports that Guthrie wrote This Land is Your Land in response to God Bless America which he considered unrealistic and complacent. The song was written in 1940. I first remember hearing it on Captain Kangaroo. The song has been used by both the left and the “right” to support their position. The reports of earth tremors centering on Guthrie’s grave, when the song was used at a Bush 43 campaign event, are unsubstantiated. So many people have recorded this song that it is not possible to list them. Some people consider This Land Is Your Land as an alternate National Anthem.

The song was written for the Anacreontic Society, probably around 1771. The tune is now thought to have been written “collectively” by members of the society, led by John Stafford Smith (…). The society met every two weeks to get drunk, sing songs and to indulge in some debauchery. Anacreon himself was a Greek poet from about 570BC who was noted for his erotic poetry and his drinking songs. The melody was attached to a poem written 1n 1814 “The Defense of Fort McHenry, that became known as The Star Spangled Banner. On March 3,1931 The Star Spangled Banner became the National Anthem of The United States.

Dick Gaughan is a Scottish Folk Musician, who has been performing since the 1970s. Hear he is performing Graham Moor’s Tom Paine’s Bones. The song is tribute to one of our founding fathers. I think I will reread Common Sense Click here for an interview with Dick Gaughan on Genwvieve Tudor’s Sunday Folk from BBC Radio Shropshire The link plays the full program the interview is about halfway through.

Bella Hardy, is an outstanding folk musician from Edale in Derbyshire. She reached the finals of the BBC Young Folk Awards in 2004.The release of her first solo album Night Visiting in 2007 secured her recognition at the top of modern folk music. She performs a combination of her songs and traditional offerings, and was nominated several in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

At the 2012 BBC 2 Folk Awards June Tabor and the Oysterband won an amazing 4 folk awards between then. The Awards include folk singer of the year for June and best album, best group and best traditional track for there work as a group. After 21 years they have released there second album raged kingdom. The album is long over due and on my buy list.

This is a performance from The National Forest Folk Festival2007.

I have been listening the work of Les Barker. He has an amazing view of the world. This is a followup to Fairports Matty Groves that tells the story of his widow. This version was performed by Cloud Street at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival in 2008.

This is one of the best songs that I have heard inspired by the attacks on 9/11. This was recorded at the 2009 Philly Folk Fest during a workshop at the tank stage. It is past time to let go of fear from that awful day.

I heard Tom Paxton sing this song at the 2011 Philly Folk Fest. The Video is a bit shaky but the words are true and steady.

Next week (August 19 – 21, 2011) is the 50th annual Philadelphia Folk Fest.  My wife and I have been going for the last 25 years. This year they have festival favorites Arlo Guthrie, Levon Helm, David Bromberg, Trombone Shorty and Tom Rush. Local acts, including the Berrys, Hoots & Hellmouth, Burning Bridget Cleary, RUNA, Birdie Busch and Suzie Brown will also appear.

Below are some highlights from last years festival

Bathsheba Smiles – Richard Thompson

The Broomfield Hill Malinky

For more Folk Fest Video follow this link

One of the groups that was featured on the BBC 2011 Cambridge Folk festival highlights show was the Fisherman’s Friends. I did some digging and found that they are working men from Port Isaac in Cornwall. See this report from the BBC. Port Isaac has been used as a location for several British film and television productions. My favorite of these is Doc Martin with Martin Clunes. The first three seasons of the show can be found on Hulu. The video below was filmed in harbor at Port Isaac.

I was Listening to the highlights from the 2011 Cambridge Folk Festival on the BBC check it out before it goes away on August 10th. Hear are a few videos.

New York Girls – BellowHead

Hunting Song Pentangle

The Ratcatchers is a project lead by Eliza Carthy. The band includes two other leaders from new generation of English folk, Jon Spiers and John Boden, as well as her partner and co-producer, Ben Ivitsky. The band reinterprets the English folk tradition for a new generation.

Two members of the Ratcatchers, Spiers and Boden also perform as English folk duo. John Spiers plays melodeon and concertina, while Jon Boden sings and plays fiddle and guitar. In 2003 they won the “Horizon Award” in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The following year they won in the Best Duo category. Spiers and Boden were founding members of the folk band Bellowhead. The video below was recorded at the Glastonbury festival in 2007.

Following in the footsteps of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and others is Bellowhead. The band brought together by John Spires and Jon Boden play versions of traditional tunes. Bellowhead draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources.  In 2010 Bellowhead were named Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for the fourth time.